All I See
by blinkkittylove
Summary: Nishikino Maki has music to compose, but thoughts of Yazawa Nico keep distracting her.


Maki found herself humming instead of actually putting her fingers to the piano or her pencil to the score sheets scattered to her left. Cole Porter, a brassy jazzy Pat Suzuki style version of 'From This Moment On." But not the Nishikino Maki original Christmas jazz arrangements that she'd scheduled this block of time for. Her next album. Well, technically, her debut album. Nico had been bugging her to release more than singles and videos on her YouTube channel. So rather than thinking of it as a way to break back into the 'biz' as Nico so often referred to it, Maki was telling herself she was recording an album for Nico to listen to on the road, as she travelled to her annual charity concerts.

But that wasn't working. No form of motivation was working. Maki tossed her head back, resisting the urge to stamp her foot and huff. She really needed a haircut. Too bad Nico was missing this. Maki closed her eyes, recalling the stars glinting deep in those lustrous gem eyes as she tucked strands of hair behind her ear, chuckling at her own silliness. Then the wave of ... hit and Maki grabbed her phone from where she'd left it out of sight.

M: NIIIIICCCCOOOOOO...

Nico's reply was instant. And not encouraging.

N: (｀^´) Hey, Rude and Restless, Nico said I was busy until 11 p.m.

Maki glanced at the time. 9:21. Oops. Not a happy Nico. Maki put her phone down, tapped a few piano keys, hummed "She gets too hungry for dinner at 8," then swivelling on the bench, she shook her bangs down in front of her eyes, reached behind her for her phone and took a selfie.

M: I need some advice on a haircut.

N: Because 9:26 is prime hairdresser availability?

M: (~_^)b

N: Sleep on it (๑ゝڡ◕๑)

Maki pouted and snapped another selfie.

N: (_ _|||) Nico really is busy. Don't you have a symphony to write or something?

M: Suite ●︿●

N: Yeah, the Nishikino Nutcracker ⁷₍⁽՚ᵕ՝⁾₎₇

N: So, put your hands on that other keyboard, it's probably right behind you (╭ •̀o•́)╭  
Maki snickered.

M: I'd rather put my ha…

As she was typing, Nico's next text interrupted.

N: Don't go there, pretty girl.

Maki backspaced, continued typing, and hit send.

M: But you're so inspirational (๑ ⌓ ๑)

N: Nico i ! ! ! Don't be so Nico Nico Needy (눈_눈)

Maki humphed and threw herself back across the chaise, sighing too dramatically to have no audience, her fingers picking at the jacquard fabric until she got bored with the texture and raised her hands to pick out invisible chords above her head. After not even a minute of that, punctuating with a frustrated groan, Maki had both hands tearing through her hair, fingers tested by knots. Why was Nico soooooo stubborn. How could she resist this?

Maki chuckled at herself again, hand dropping to her thigh, fingers tracing a line there, starting to play a tune, not the new one she needed to be working on, but a mash of familiar melodies, jazz, idol, classical, everything in her head now, all the dots that connected her to the incandescent gravity of a tiny tiny tower of brilliant treasures, a dragon's hoard of love, charisma, kindness, beauty, and charm. She could hear Nico's voice in her head, shrilly teasing her with "Nico Nico Needy." Maki had lost the memory of when that first happened, her need for Nico, how many years ago, moods ago, tears ago, tours ago, I love you's ago, kisses ago. Some of the darker, lonelier nights, Maki thought she should care more about how easily she always got tanglelost in thoughts of Nico, tactile memories as slippery and silky as the sable strands of strawberry scented softness that would caress her face when Nico leaned in, eyes bright and sparking, perfectly pursed lips pretending disinterest but about to bite. Maki could feel her hand drifting again, across her thigh, her heart thudding a raw melody that longed for the harmony of another voice, but then, with an effort that took all of her current willpower, Maki forced herself to sit up, to glance to the piano, to hope that it would be more of a pull than...but after only managing a few hummed bars of 'Satin Doll' and one brief touch of a single finger on a cold key, Maki let herself fall back again, to get tanglelost in mental pictures of Nico, the looping echo of Nico's voice, almost a whisper at Maki's ear, promising...

"Nico can hear you think, you know." The music room doors banged open and Maki jumped with a yelp, half sprawling to the floor as her wife fumed in the doorway, too cute in a tank top and short shorts. "Why are you so much WORSE when Nico is at home than when Nico is on tour?"

"I'm not." Maki snapped, blood pounding in her head and reddening her face. Nico had almost walked in on…

"Maki?" Nico did sound concerned. Maki didn't want that. She didn't need to be coddled.

Maki sat up, drawing up her knees, "You startled me."

Nico slid onto the piano bench, eyebrows lowered, carefully manicured hand petting the seat next to her, "Come sit next to Nico and meet our mutual friend, Ms. Steinway, who can help you stay on the Nice List and compose your genius Christmas compilation album while Nico FINISHES HER FALL WARDROBE SORTING."

Refusing to look directly at Nico, Maki shook her head, barely raising it from her knees. She was never going to be able to focus now. She could almost taste the sweat drop slowly, tantalizingly sliding from Nico's hairline down her cheek. New season meant new, kicky shoes so Nico had probably been lifting boxes to clear out her summer sandals and other styles not essential for Autumn. Maki found her eyes following the curve of Nico's tricep…

A finger snap, "Okay, Disheveled and Distracted, up." Nico grabbed Maki's forearms and yanked the redhead forward, forcing her off the chaise, "If you're going to be like this, Nico is going to put you to work."

"Huh? But you said your closet is off limits."

"Nico's closet is off limits. But I was about to take some boxes to the attic. So Nico will let her biggest fan do it instead."

"NIIIIICCCCOOOOOO...

Nico raised an eyebrow at her pouty, spoiled, beautifully silly wife. This is where the conversation had started. Maki straightened up, and for extra emphasis stretched her arms over her head. She hadn't bothered to pay any attention to how well her red, black and purple plaid shirt was buttoned and Nico noticed how the misaligned buttons exposed curves at both the top and hem. Maki blinked at Nico, eyes somehow sparkling, smugly coy half smile aggravatingly mischievous. Nico, through an effort of willpower only possible for someone determined enough to be the Number One Idol in the Universe, managed to keep a grin off her face, staring back into those dreamfuel eyes with stern purpose. Maki never wilted, which was all of the fun. Her perfectly proud jaw tightened, her precisely plush eyebrows quirked, and her peerlessly plum pink lips collided in a bemused smirk as an idea slipped out, shaded with sultry undertones.

"You can't afford my hourly rate."

Nico shrugged, that was a line of teasing she was going to choose to ignore, but then before Maki could blink, Nico had pounced and was tucking loose strands of hair tenderly behind Maki's ear, letting a gentle, teasing caress linger. "And after, you'll need to clean up. Nico knows the attic is dusty."

Nico saw Maki's eyes widen as she started guessing the direction of Nico's thought and Nico allowed herself to smile as Maki's tongue licked out, revealing the eagerness that always ended these jousts.

"I hate dust in my hair." Maki blew unruly curls out of her eyes.

Nico quick ruffled Maki's tousles; she really did need a haircut, "Nico knows." A tug brought Maki down into a slooooooow kiss, "Let me help with that."

"Okay." Maki was all in, completely blanking on how the conversation had started, when Nico had gotten so close, or what time of day it was. Then Nico dropped both hands to Maki's waist, spun her to face the music room's sliding doors, and pushed gently. "But first, Nico's summer shoes travel to their new home."

"Niiiicoooo…"

"Will make it worth your while."

Maki had pivoted and Nico was suddenly right up against a wall of stubborn redhead, impossible to ignore curves at exactly the wrong height for Nico to think about anything other than how quickly they responded to fingertip pressure. Nico's hands started to reach out as a growling purr that could pull Nico across continents, let alone up a flight of stairs delivered a challenge, "You'd better."

And Maki dashed through the door with a playful wink.

Boxes could get upstairs tomorrow, Nico decided. Now, it was time to catch a diamond.

A/N: Gift for Ao3's AaronMizuno aka masterycomic on Twitter, who wanted Nico and Maki in a happy relationship. Because we all need more happy relationship fluff this time of year. Enjoy!


End file.
